Ever since man could appreciate beauty, there have been amazing work put into attracting a smile on royals faces..and that smile is usually spelled J e w e l r y.

I have been surrounded and drawn by such beauty all my life.

On one hand, I do believe that a person is either born with class or not, hence the quality of choices made in life from the biggest to the smallest things.

I do believe classiness is beyond the general inherited royal emblem, but on the other hand, royals have left traces of amazing treasures throughout history...stamps of the external face of eternal class.

So, here I will post, not a showcase of my special and unique private collection as Im not an online exhibtionist of my private life, but im posting an amazing exposé of some of the worlds most beautiful regalia/royal treasures.

***welcome to enjoy this moment of the worlds royal reality***

(main source of info: online)

Ever since man could appreciate beauty, there have been amazing work put into attracting a smile on royals faces..and that smile is usually spelled J e w e l r y.

I have been surrounded and drawn by such beauty all my life.

On one hand, I do believe that a person is either born with class or not, hence the quality of choices made in life from the biggest to the smallest things.

I do believe classiness is beyond the general inherited royal emblem, but on the other hand, royals have left traces of amazing treasures throughout history...stamps of the external face of eternal class.

So, here I will post, not a showcase of my special and unique private collection as Im not an online exhibtionist of my private life, but im posting an amazing exposé of some of the worlds most beautiful regalia/royal treasures.

I saw an interesting advertisement where the company was seeking people who could solve problems creatively, “INSIDE THE BOX.”

I can’t imagine what sort of problems “out of the box” thinkers must have been causing them.

RMac

Quoting worldmind:

Rmac..and all..sorry for my latish responses as IM SOOOO BUSY..between working on so many projects with very delicate layers, haveing a very strict workput schedule and a fierce PT and travelling the world in business..there is not always enogh time for this...but Im trying ;-)..oh it was a bit easier when it ws the end of the year times..now..when the beginning of the year there are sooo many things to attend to etc etc...

Rmac..interesting what your teacher did..smart move. As I do know from my own experience, as I was myself put thru such, a senior boardmember in the first enterprise i worked in, gave me some tasks to solve when i was very very young..and I solved them all in 2 days..and the people who I was in contact with were shocked as they said.."we have been on this for like 6 months and here you come with quick solutions..."...so I understand the outside of the box theme completely..as we as humans tend to sometimes let knowledge be the disadvantage instead of the opposite..might depend on how we use knowledge or even how we store it within our mental systems...we are benefited of mental training and learning to know how our own minds think and react I think.

Quoting worldmind:

Rmac..and all..sorry for my latish responses as IM SOOOO BUSY..between working on so many projects with very delicate layers, haveing a very strict workput schedule and a fierce PT and travelling the world in business..there is not always enogh time for this...but Im trying ;-)..oh it was a bit easier when it ws the end of the year times..now..when the beginning of the year there are sooo many things to attend to etc etc...

Rmac..interesting what your teacher did..smart move. As I do know from my own experience, as I was myself put thru such, a senior boardmember in the first enterprise i worked in, gave me some tasks to solve when i was very very young..and I solved them all in 2 days..and the people who I was in contact with were shocked as they said.."we have been on this for like 6 months and here you come with quick solutions..."...so I understand the outside of the box theme completely..as we as humans tend to sometimes let knowledge be the disadvantage instead of the opposite..might depend on how we use knowledge or even how we store it within our mental systems...we are benefited of mental training and learning to know how our own minds think and react I think.

I saw an interesting advertisement where the company was seeking people who could solve problems creatively, “INSIDE THE BOX.”

I can’t imagine what sort of problems “out of the box” thinkers must have been causing them.

That ia a wonderful story Dakota, except the ending. I'm sure she treasured that bowl.

I have a few things from my mom (or they were my mom's) that I treasure and averything my daughter has ever given me. I am definitely a Sentimental Saver!! Unfortunitely some things I have I don't know the stories behind them, if I knew the stories it would be so much better.

Quoting Dakota35:

It's not always the monetary value of the jewelry but instead the meaning behind it. I'm sure there are people that have a $100 ring or less that wouldn't trade it for one that cost $100,000. As a example: Years ago, I was dating a wonderful woman. She was a delegate at the RNC and was given a crystal engraved bowl. On her way back home from Washington, the bowl was stolen or lost. She was very upset as it had a special meaning to her. So, I secretly called around to find out where the bowl was made. After a lot of detective work, I found that it was made by a company in Canada. I called the company and the man said yes they made the bowls but had only made 51 of them. I explained the situation to him and he said "looks like we are going to be making 52"...I like Canadians...they are good that way. Anyway, the company engraved another one, sent it to me and I gave it to her on her B'day. She couldn't stop crying. That simple bowl now had more meaning than the original and she wouldn't have parted with it for any amount. (She is no longer alive as she was killed in a car wreck on her way back from a FL trip. She was such a wonderful Christian woman. Huge loss.)

Long time ago...people would take a silver dollar and hit it along the edge thousands of times with a spoon until the edge would flair then cut out the center making it into a ring. They may have done this with a gold coin also, which would have been much easier due to gold being soft. But I have only seen silver.

Quoting Dakota35:

It's not always the monetary value of the jewelry but instead the meaning behind it. I'm sure there are people that have a $100 ring or less that wouldn't trade it for one that cost $100,000. As a example: Years ago, I was dating a wonderful woman. She was a delegate at the RNC and was given a crystal engraved bowl. On her way back home from Washington, the bowl was stolen or lost. She was very upset as it had a special meaning to her. So, I secretly called around to find out where the bowl was made. After a lot of detective work, I found that it was made by a company in Canada. I called the company and the man said yes they made the bowls but had only made 51 of them. I explained the situation to him and he said "looks like we are going to be making 52"...I like Canadians...they are good that way. Anyway, the company engraved another one, sent it to me and I gave it to her on her B'day. She couldn't stop crying. That simple bowl now had more meaning than the original and she wouldn't have parted with it for any amount. (She is no longer alive as she was killed in a car wreck on her way back from a FL trip. She was such a wonderful Christian woman. Huge loss.)

Long time ago...people would take a silver dollar and hit it along the edge thousands of times with a spoon until the edge would flair then cut out the center making it into a ring. They may have done this with a gold coin also, which would have been much easier due to gold being soft. But I have only seen silver.

That ia a wonderful story Dakota, except the ending. I'm sure she treasured that bowl.

I have a few things from my mom (or they were my mom's) that I treasure and averything my daughter has ever given me. I am definitely a Sentimental Saver!! Unfortunitely some things I have I don't know the stories behind them, if I knew the stories it would be so much better.

To those on MM who I really enjoy - you know who you are - and also you sweet ones who have commented on my blog here :-)

I got some lovely gifts (and I also gave) today...its a cute day although commercial.

LOVE & A QUESTION - Robert Frost

A stranger came to the door at eve,
And he spoke the bridegroom fair.
He bore a green-white stick in his hand,
And, for all burden, care.
He asked with the eyes more than the lips
For a shelter for the night,
And he turned and looked at the road afar
Without a window light.
The bridegroom came forth into the porch
With, 'Let us look at the sky,
And question what of the night to be,
Stranger, you and I.'
The woodbine leaves littered the yard,
The woodbine berries were blue,
Autumn, yes, winter was in the wind;
'Stranger, I wish I knew.'
Within, the bride in the dusk alone
Bent over the open fire,
Her face rose-red with the glowing coal
And the thought of the heart's desire.
The bridegroom looked at the weary road,
Yet saw but her within,
And wished her heart in a case of gold
And pinned with a silver pin.
The bridegroom thought it little to give
A dole of bread, a purse,
A heartfelt prayer for the poor of God,
Or for the rich a curse;
But whether or not a man was asked
To mar the love of two
By harboring woe in the bridal house,
The bridegroom wished he knew.

HAPPY VALENTINE

To those on MM who I really enjoy - you know who you are - and also you sweet ones who have commented on my blog here :-)

I got some lovely gifts (and I also gave) today...its a cute day although commercial.

LOVE & A QUESTION - Robert Frost

A stranger came to the door at eve,
And he spoke the bridegroom fair.
He bore a green-white stick in his hand,
And, for all burden, care.
He asked with the eyes more than the lips
For a shelter for the night,
And he turned and looked at the road afar
Without a window light.
The bridegroom came forth into the porch
With, 'Let us look at the sky,
And question what of the night to be,
Stranger, you and I.'
The woodbine leaves littered the yard,
The woodbine berries were blue,
Autumn, yes, winter was in the wind;
'Stranger, I wish I knew.'
Within, the bride in the dusk alone
Bent over the open fire,
Her face rose-red with the glowing coal
And the thought of the heart's desire.
The bridegroom looked at the weary road,
Yet saw but her within,
And wished her heart in a case of gold
And pinned with a silver pin.
The bridegroom thought it little to give
A dole of bread, a purse,
A heartfelt prayer for the poor of God,
Or for the rich a curse;
But whether or not a man was asked
To mar the love of two
By harboring woe in the bridal house,
The bridegroom wished he knew.

Dakota...I must say I TRULY enjoyed reading your story and your insights. I do agree. It is most certainly not in the value of the thing when we are not speaking of jewels etc as a topic as to say...offcourse that affectionate/sentimental value is so much more than the actual money value. I have some things like that which I would value much more than any diamonds I own etc. I do understand and agree :-)

Some antique stuff, which might not be valueable in themselves can be much more valuable as they might have belonged to someone etc.

Oh so nice gesture you did for that woman and I am sorry she is no longer with us, as she must have been a truly amazing woman. Christian or not, I believe the human qualities comes before their religion, as I have seen both good and bad examples of all.

So you are a romantic kind of a guy? :-) Would you like to share soem of your romantic deeds?

Hm..interesting about the dollar..I bought a silver dollar not long back...it was huge...so how exactly did they do this...do you have a pic of how this ring they made from the dollar looks like? I am very intrigued.

Oh..gold has different hardness...pure gold is VERY soft and not recommended for stones..then 18k is good fro stones...14k is even better they say as it is harder and so forth...

Dakota...I must say I TRULY enjoyed reading your story and your insights. I do agree. It is most certainly not in the value of the thing when we are not speaking of jewels etc as a topic as to say...offcourse that affectionate/sentimental value is so much more than the actual money value. I have some things like that which I would value much more than any diamonds I own etc. I do understand and agree :-)

Some antique stuff, which might not be valueable in themselves can be much more valuable as they might have belonged to someone etc.

Oh so nice gesture you did for that woman and I am sorry she is no longer with us, as she must have been a truly amazing woman. Christian or not, I believe the human qualities comes before their religion, as I have seen both good and bad examples of all.

So you are a romantic kind of a guy? :-) Would you like to share soem of your romantic deeds?

Hm..interesting about the dollar..I bought a silver dollar not long back...it was huge...so how exactly did they do this...do you have a pic of how this ring they made from the dollar looks like? I am very intrigued.

Oh..gold has different hardness...pure gold is VERY soft and not recommended for stones..then 18k is good fro stones...14k is even better they say as it is harder and so forth...

Rmac..and all..sorry for my latish responses as IM SOOOO BUSY..between working on so many projects with very delicate layers, haveing a very strict workput schedule and a fierce PT and travelling the world in business..there is not always enogh time for this...but Im trying ;-)..oh it was a bit easier when it ws the end of the year times..now..when the beginning of the year there are sooo many things to attend to etc etc...

Rmac..interesting what your teacher did..smart move. As I do know from my own experience, as I was myself put thru such, a senior boardmember in the first enterprise i worked in, gave me some tasks to solve when i was very very young..and I solved them all in 2 days..and the people who I was in contact with were shocked as they said.."we have been on this for like 6 months and here you come with quick solutions..."...so I understand the outside of the box theme completely..as we as humans tend to sometimes let knowledge be the disadvantage instead of the opposite..might depend on how we use knowledge or even how we store it within our mental systems...we are benefited of mental training and learning to know how our own minds think and react I think.

Rmac..and all..sorry for my latish responses as IM SOOOO BUSY..between working on so many projects with very delicate layers, haveing a very strict workput schedule and a fierce PT and travelling the world in business..there is not always enogh time for this...but Im trying ;-)..oh it was a bit easier when it ws the end of the year times..now..when the beginning of the year there are sooo many things to attend to etc etc...

Rmac..interesting what your teacher did..smart move. As I do know from my own experience, as I was myself put thru such, a senior boardmember in the first enterprise i worked in, gave me some tasks to solve when i was very very young..and I solved them all in 2 days..and the people who I was in contact with were shocked as they said.."we have been on this for like 6 months and here you come with quick solutions..."...so I understand the outside of the box theme completely..as we as humans tend to sometimes let knowledge be the disadvantage instead of the opposite..might depend on how we use knowledge or even how we store it within our mental systems...we are benefited of mental training and learning to know how our own minds think and react I think.

Just curiosity -- the expression, “Thinking Outside the Box,” has become part of the culture and most people do not know the origin of the expression.

What was being taught in the creativity classes was to carefully eliminate all self-imposed constraints on finding a solution.Sometimes even to eliminate real constraints just to explore the problem and to see if those constraints were truly necessary.Sometimes when we define a problem we impose constraints that are not necessary or beneficial.

One of my favorite professors confided that he often asked his graduate students to solve problems he was working on and could not solve.His students, not knowing the problem was difficult, often solved them.Unencumbered by all his experience and knowledge they were free to just solve it.

What the expression, “Thinking Outside the Box,” has come to mean in common usage is originality or creativity in the solution of problems or the production of ideas.

RMac

Quoting worldmind:

Dear Rmac...oh thank you very interesting about that box-thing :-) Why did you ask by the way? :-)

Quoting worldmind:

Dear Rmac...oh thank you very interesting about that box-thing :-) Why did you ask by the way? :-)

Just curiosity -- the expression, “Thinking Outside the Box,” has become part of the culture and most people do not know the origin of the expression.

What was being taught in the creativity classes was to carefully eliminate all self-imposed constraints on finding a solution.Sometimes even to eliminate real constraints just to explore the problem and to see if those constraints were truly necessary.Sometimes when we define a problem we impose constraints that are not necessary or beneficial.

One of my favorite professors confided that he often asked his graduate students to solve problems he was working on and could not solve.His students, not knowing the problem was difficult, often solved them.Unencumbered by all his experience and knowledge they were free to just solve it.

What the expression, “Thinking Outside the Box,” has come to mean in common usage is originality or creativity in the solution of problems or the production of ideas.

An amazing camé tiara was worn by the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria, when she got married on 19th June 2010. The same one was worn by her mother, Queen Silvia at her wedding on 19th June 1976.

The Cameo Tiara

The word "cameo" means a precious stone decorated in raised relief. The tiara is made of gold, pearls and cameos. The central cameo depicts Cupid and Psyche from Greek mythology.

The seven cameos were not originally carved for the tiara, as can be seen in their different shapes and colours.

The Crown Princess is therefore continuing a tradition started by Princess Birgitta. She was the first Haga Princes to marry, and chose the cameo tiara for her wedding in 1961 to Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern.

Princess Désirée also chose the same tiara as her bridal crown when she married Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld in 1964.

Queen Josefina's legacy

The tiara was probably a gift from Napoleon to his wife, Empress Josephine, in 1809. It was made at the Nitot studio in Paris.The empress bequeathed the tiara to her granddaughter Josefina who, on 19 June 1823, became the Crown Princess of Sweden when she married Crown Prince Oscar (the future King Oscar I).

With the next generation of the Bernadotte dynasty, the tiara was owned by Queen Josefina's daughter Princess Eugénie, who in turn left the tiara to her nephew Prince Eugen.

The prince gave the tiara to Princess Sibylla on her marriage to Prince Gustaf Adolf in 1932. The King was left the tiara by his mother.

An amazing camé tiara was worn by the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria, when she got married on 19th June 2010. The same one was worn by her mother, Queen Silvia at her wedding on 19th June 1976.

The Cameo Tiara

The word "cameo" means a precious stone decorated in raised relief. The tiara is made of gold, pearls and cameos. The central cameo depicts Cupid and Psyche from Greek mythology.

The seven cameos were not originally carved for the tiara, as can be seen in their different shapes and colours.

The Crown Princess is therefore continuing a tradition started by Princess Birgitta. She was the first Haga Princes to marry, and chose the cameo tiara for her wedding in 1961 to Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern.

Princess Désirée also chose the same tiara as her bridal crown when she married Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld in 1964.

Queen Josefina's legacy

The tiara was probably a gift from Napoleon to his wife, Empress Josephine, in 1809. It was made at the Nitot studio in Paris.The empress bequeathed the tiara to her granddaughter Josefina who, on 19 June 1823, became the Crown Princess of Sweden when she married Crown Prince Oscar (the future King Oscar I).

With the next generation of the Bernadotte dynasty, the tiara was owned by Queen Josefina's daughter Princess Eugénie, who in turn left the tiara to her nephew Prince Eugen.

The prince gave the tiara to Princess Sibylla on her marriage to Prince Gustaf Adolf in 1932. The King was left the tiara by his mother.

England, after AD 1679 Jewellery, chiefly rings and lockets, is sometimes worn in memory of a deceased person during set periods of mourning. The practice of bequeathing a ring for remembrance was known from the Middle Ages, and by the seventeenth century it had become customary to engrave rings with the name and the dates of the deceased, with the decorative design on a ground of black enamel.

England, after AD 1679 Jewellery, chiefly rings and lockets, is sometimes worn in memory of a deceased person during set periods of mourning. The practice of bequeathing a ring for remembrance was known from the Middle Ages, and by the seventeenth century it had become customary to engrave rings with the name and the dates of the deceased, with the decorative design on a ground of black enamel.

This is from England, about AD 1570-80 An idealized portrait of the Virgin Queen On the front of this gold pendant is a silhouette bust of Queen Elizabeth I of England (reigned 1558-1603); on the reverse, is a device of a phoenix in flames under the royal monogram ('ER'), a crown and heavenly rays, enclosed within an enamelled wreath of red and white flowers...

This is from England, about AD 1570-80 An idealized portrait of the Virgin Queen On the front of this gold pendant is a silhouette bust of Queen Elizabeth I of England (reigned 1558-1603); on the reverse, is a device of a phoenix in flames under the royal monogram ('ER'), a crown and heavenly rays, enclosed within an enamelled wreath of red and white flowers...

This brooch was first documented in the inventory of Emperor Ferdinand I and probably came into Habsburg possession through his grandmother, Archduchess Mary of Burgundy. Very early renaissance near, around 1400.

This brooch was first documented in the inventory of Emperor Ferdinand I and probably came into Habsburg possession through his grandmother, Archduchess Mary of Burgundy. Very early renaissance near, around 1400.

"Chatelaine" is French for "Mistress of the Castle - long chains holding important household itemsaAbout the waist. These items were things like the key to a pantry where valuable tea, spices and food were kept; a small notebook; sewing items; a magnifying glass; or maybe a watch, nail file, or compass. The earlier waist-hung items were referred to as "equipage".

"Chatelaine" is French for "Mistress of the Castle - long chains holding important household itemsaAbout the waist. These items were things like the key to a pantry where valuable tea, spices and food were kept; a small notebook; sewing items; a magnifying glass; or maybe a watch, nail file, or compass. The earlier waist-hung items were referred to as "equipage".

Henry VIII’s rosary

This rosary owned by Henry VIII, consists of a ring from which hangs a cross, ten Ave beads, and a large bead for Pater Noster. It has been richly carved throughout and the Pater bead is hinged, with two biblical scenes carved inside.

The royal arms are carved in the Pater bead. On one side of the cross are Christ and the four Evangelists; one the other, the four Latin Fathers; while the beads are carved with the Apostles, Sentences of the Creed, Prophets and Sybils, and scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

Henry VIII’s rosary

This rosary owned by Henry VIII, consists of a ring from which hangs a cross, ten Ave beads, and a large bead for Pater Noster. It has been richly carved throughout and the Pater bead is hinged, with two biblical scenes carved inside.

The royal arms are carved in the Pater bead. On one side of the cross are Christ and the four Evangelists; one the other, the four Latin Fathers; while the beads are carved with the Apostles, Sentences of the Creed, Prophets and Sybils, and scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

More rare than a colorless diamond, a fancy color diamond is truly the most brilliant and exotic stone that comes from earth. The Natural Color Diamond Association is the world's leading authority for natural fancy color diamonds.

The creation of a natural color diamond is nothing short of a miracle. In addition to the extreme conditions that must be present for a diamond to form inside the Earth, minute amounts of trace elements must also interact with the carbon atoms to permanently alter the color. It is estimated that a diamond has only a 1 in 10,000 chance of possessing any natural color, regardless of the spectral hue, which makes any fancy colored diamond a true natural wonder.Clarity grades can be assigned to fancy colored diamonds the same way as diamonds in the colorless range, however, clarity is not one of the most important factors in determining the value of natural color diamond. It is a consideration in the valuation, but not a critical factor. In other words, a natural color diamond with deeper color and lower clarity is considered more desirable than one with lighter color and higher clarity. Often times, the unaided eye cannot detect inclusions in a fancy colored diamond because these characteristics blend in with the diamond’s color.

Cut is also not considered a critical factor in valuating a natural color diamond, since the diamond is typically fashioned to enhance the color as much as possible while retaining the maximum amount of weight from the rough crystal. This practice lends itself to brilliant cut styles, as opposed to step-faceted, with deeper cut proportions and thicker girdles on finished diamonds. The most common shapes found in large fancy colored diamonds are radiant cuts and cushion cuts. Though rounds are by far the most popular shape for diamonds in the colorless range, fancy colored diamonds do not hold color as well in this shape. Premium-Ideal cut proportions in rounds can improve the “face-up” color of a diamond in the normal range, but will actually cause the strength of the color in a fancy colored diamond to appear weaker due to the way light performs.

Strength of Color

Diamonds in the colorless (D-Z) range usually decrease in value as the color becomes more apparent. The opposite is true with fancy-colored diamonds. In fact, the single most important value factor that affects the rarity of a fancy colored diamond is color. Fancy-colored diamonds are found in nearly every color of the rainbow. Red, green, purple, and orange are the rarest colors, followed by pink and blue. Yellow and brown are the most common fancy colors; therefore, they are the most affordable. Aside from the spectral hue, the purity and strength of the color also affect rarity.

Hue refers to the dominant color of the stone, such as pink, blue, or yellow. There can also be modifiers, or tints, which impart more than one color to a stone. For instance, a purplish-pink diamond indicates a stone with a principal pink hue and a slight purple tint. If no modifiers or tints exist in a stone, then the hue is said to be pure.

Tone refers to how much lightness or darkness a stone appears to retain. The range of tones goes from light to dark.

Saturation describes the strength or intensity of the hue. The saturation of light diamonds can very from pastel to vivid and intense. Dark diamonds can range from dark to deep.

Fancy Yellow DiamondsLight to vivid yellow diamonds are found in different countries. The saturation of color is dependent upon the amount of nitrogen present. The largest and most saturated yellows have been discovered primarily in South Africa. These include the largest known yellow diamond, the Red Cross, which weighs 205.07 carats, and features a Maltese Cross visible from the top facet.

Fancy Pink DiamondsPink diamonds come in a variety of colors, including bubblegum and coral. There are also brownish and purplish pink diamonds. The Argyle mine in Australia is the only mine in the world that produces a consistent volume. A whole year of Argyle's intense pink diamond production can be held in the palm of one hand. To put the true rarity of these stones in perspective, of every million carats of rough diamond production at Argyle, only one carat is suitable for sale in its tender.

Fancy Blue DiamondsFancy blues range from very light shades through to a steel blue hue, and derive their color from boron impurities. Due to the presence of boron, some blue diamonds are able to conduct electricity! The Cullinan mine near Pretoria, South Africa is the world's only notable blue diamond producing mine. The Hope Diamond, arguably the most famous diamond in the world, is a natural fancy blue, weighing 45 carats. This deep blue diamond is now at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

Fancy Green DiamondsOnly a handful of green diamonds are introduced into the market each year. Pure green diamonds are valued more than those which are yellowish-green or gray-green. Fancy green diamonds are sourced from South Africa and other parts of the continent. The green color comes from being near radioactive sources during formation. This process takes at least a million years to occur, hence their rarity! The most famous green diamond is the 41 carat Dresden Green Diamond, currently housed at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen in Dresden. (info source: online)

More rare than a colorless diamond, a fancy color diamond is truly the most brilliant and exotic stone that comes from earth. The Natural Color Diamond Association is the world's leading authority for natural fancy color diamonds.

The creation of a natural color diamond is nothing short of a miracle. In addition to the extreme conditions that must be present for a diamond to form inside the Earth, minute amounts of trace elements must also interact with the carbon atoms to permanently alter the color. It is estimated that a diamond has only a 1 in 10,000 chance of possessing any natural color, regardless of the spectral hue, which makes any fancy colored diamond a true natural wonder.Clarity grades can be assigned to fancy colored diamonds the same way as diamonds in the colorless range, however, clarity is not one of the most important factors in determining the value of natural color diamond. It is a consideration in the valuation, but not a critical factor. In other words, a natural color diamond with deeper color and lower clarity is considered more desirable than one with lighter color and higher clarity. Often times, the unaided eye cannot detect inclusions in a fancy colored diamond because these characteristics blend in with the diamond’s color.

Cut is also not considered a critical factor in valuating a natural color diamond, since the diamond is typically fashioned to enhance the color as much as possible while retaining the maximum amount of weight from the rough crystal. This practice lends itself to brilliant cut styles, as opposed to step-faceted, with deeper cut proportions and thicker girdles on finished diamonds. The most common shapes found in large fancy colored diamonds are radiant cuts and cushion cuts. Though rounds are by far the most popular shape for diamonds in the colorless range, fancy colored diamonds do not hold color as well in this shape. Premium-Ideal cut proportions in rounds can improve the “face-up” color of a diamond in the normal range, but will actually cause the strength of the color in a fancy colored diamond to appear weaker due to the way light performs.

Strength of Color

Diamonds in the colorless (D-Z) range usually decrease in value as the color becomes more apparent. The opposite is true with fancy-colored diamonds. In fact, the single most important value factor that affects the rarity of a fancy colored diamond is color. Fancy-colored diamonds are found in nearly every color of the rainbow. Red, green, purple, and orange are the rarest colors, followed by pink and blue. Yellow and brown are the most common fancy colors; therefore, they are the most affordable. Aside from the spectral hue, the purity and strength of the color also affect rarity.

Hue refers to the dominant color of the stone, such as pink, blue, or yellow. There can also be modifiers, or tints, which impart more than one color to a stone. For instance, a purplish-pink diamond indicates a stone with a principal pink hue and a slight purple tint. If no modifiers or tints exist in a stone, then the hue is said to be pure.

Tone refers to how much lightness or darkness a stone appears to retain. The range of tones goes from light to dark.

Saturation describes the strength or intensity of the hue. The saturation of light diamonds can very from pastel to vivid and intense. Dark diamonds can range from dark to deep.

Fancy Yellow DiamondsLight to vivid yellow diamonds are found in different countries. The saturation of color is dependent upon the amount of nitrogen present. The largest and most saturated yellows have been discovered primarily in South Africa. These include the largest known yellow diamond, the Red Cross, which weighs 205.07 carats, and features a Maltese Cross visible from the top facet.

Fancy Pink DiamondsPink diamonds come in a variety of colors, including bubblegum and coral. There are also brownish and purplish pink diamonds. The Argyle mine in Australia is the only mine in the world that produces a consistent volume. A whole year of Argyle's intense pink diamond production can be held in the palm of one hand. To put the true rarity of these stones in perspective, of every million carats of rough diamond production at Argyle, only one carat is suitable for sale in its tender.

Fancy Blue DiamondsFancy blues range from very light shades through to a steel blue hue, and derive their color from boron impurities. Due to the presence of boron, some blue diamonds are able to conduct electricity! The Cullinan mine near Pretoria, South Africa is the world's only notable blue diamond producing mine. The Hope Diamond, arguably the most famous diamond in the world, is a natural fancy blue, weighing 45 carats. This deep blue diamond is now at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

Fancy Green DiamondsOnly a handful of green diamonds are introduced into the market each year. Pure green diamonds are valued more than those which are yellowish-green or gray-green. Fancy green diamonds are sourced from South Africa and other parts of the continent. The green color comes from being near radioactive sources during formation. This process takes at least a million years to occur, hence their rarity! The most famous green diamond is the 41 carat Dresden Green Diamond, currently housed at the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen in Dresden. (info source: online)